Header.



H. M. FLETCHER.

HEADER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1912.

1,085,250. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

{ by l/ 4 I J I Attorneys H. M. FLETCHER.

HEADER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.18, 1912.

1,085,250. Patented Jan. 2'7, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z- Attorneys,

H. M. FLETCHER.

HEADER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.18,1912.

Patented J an. 27, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MfifiZZ/Zfil Inventor,

Witnesses Attorneys.

HENRY M. FLETCHER,

PATENT @FFXQE.

OF PLAINVIEXV, TEXAS.

HEADER.

Specification of Application filed September Letters Patent.

iatentedJanno'i,191st. Serial No. 721,092.

To ((U9137201)? it 122 (42 concern Be it known that I, HENRY M. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainview, in the county of Hale and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Header, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to headers for Katir corn or sorghum, one of its objects being to simplify and otherwise improve structures of this type, the machine being light and durable and adapted to act upon two rows at a time.

Another object is to provide cutting mechanism which can be adjusted vertically. means being employed for conveying the out material from said mechanism to a point beyond one side of the machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

in the accompanying drawings the prefered form of the invention has been shown.

in said drawings :Figure 1 is a. perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a verti cal longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear elevation. Fig. i is a plan View. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cutter bar and adjacent parts. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the slidable cross head. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through the cutter bar.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the front or drive axle of the machine, the same being mounted for rotation in one end of a substantially U-shaped frame 2 and being supported by wheels 3, one of which is secured to and adapted to rotate the axle. A tubular cross bar 4 extends across the rear portion of the frame 2 and is connected thereto by means I of hangers 5. L-shaped arms 6 are tele-j scopically connected to the end portions of the bar 4; and casters 7 are mounted on these I arms. Thus it will be seen that the casters l are located suflicient distances beyond the l sides of the frame 2 to prevent the saidl l frame from tilting i able extent.

l A seat 8 for the driver can be located back of the frame 2 and located within easy reach of the occupant of the seat is a crank arnitl arranged at one end of a winding shaft 10. This shaft is journaled in the upper por tion of a side frame 1] extending upwardly from the frame 2, there being a ratchet 19 at one end of the shaft 10 which is normally engaged by a pawl 13 whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction is prevented.

A longitudinal shaft 14 is journaled in the lower portion of the side frame 11 and pivotally mounted thereon are the sides 15 of an elevator frame. A yoke 16 is connected to the upper portion of said frame and an adjusting chain 17 or the like is secured to this yoke and also to the shaft 10 so that, by rotating the shaft in one direction, said connection can be wound thereon and the elevator frame thus adjusted angularly.

A roller 18 is secured to the shaft 14. and is engaged by and adapted to actuate an endless belt 19 extending throughout the length of the elevator frame. An upwardly and laterally extending feed board 90 is supported by the finale 11 and is adapted to direct material onto the lower portion of the upper flight of the conveyor.

Extending upwardly from the front portion of the frame 2 are parallel longitudinally slotted guides 21 connected, adjacent their lower ends, by a cross bar 22, and, adjacent their upper ends. by a cross bar A standard 24 is secured upon the top of the side frame 11 and journaled in the upper end thereof is a longitudinal shaft 95 the front end of which is provided with a spool 26 mounted for rotation within the bar 23. Pawl and ratchet mechanism, indicated generally at 27, can be used for preventing the shaft 25 from rotating in one direction and a crank arm, such as shown at- QS, may be used for rotating the shaft. Sheaves 29 are supported upon the upper ends of the standards 21 and mounted on these sheaves are adjusting chains, cables or other suitable elements, such as shown at 30, said elements being secured to and adapted to be wound on the spool 26.

A cross slide 31 is mounted to slide between the standards 21 and has extensions 32 which lie Within the slots in the standards laterally to an undesir- 21, these extensions being secured to the flexible connections 30. Thus it will be seen that when the spool 26 is rotated in one direction the connections 30 will be wound thereon and the cross head 31 raised within the standards whereas, when the spool 26 is rotated in the opposite direction, the connections 30 will be unwound and the cross head thus permitted to gravitate.

A vertical shaft 33 is journaled at its upper end, within the cross head 31 and is provided with a disk 34. This disk is connected by a pitman 35 to a cutter bar 36 having outstanding blades 37. This cutter bar is ada ted to reci rocate u on lon itudinally channeled finger bars 38 which are secured upon and extend laterally from the extensions 32 of the cross head. Upwardly and forwardly extending fingers 39 extend from the bar 38 and constitute means for directing the Kafir corn into position to be engaged by the teeth or blades on the reciprocating bar 36. Each of the finger bars 38 has a downwardly and rearwardly extending table 40 adapted to direct cut material onto the elevator 19 or onto the inclined board 20 which, in turn, will guide the material to the elevator.

A. gear 41 is mounted on the cross bar 22 and is feathered on the shaft 33, it being understood that the shaft is free to move vertically with the cross head 31 and independently of the gear 41. Gear 41 con stantly meshes with another gear 4E2 secured to a shaft 43 which is journaled in a bracket n. A gear 45, which is secured to shaft 43, meshes with a gear a6 secured to the shaft 14:. Motion is transmitted to shaft 1% from the axle 1 through gears 17 and 48 secured to said axle and to the shaft 1 1 respectively.

Arms 19 extend upwardly and forwardly from the sides of the frame 2 and thills 50 may be attached to these arms so that a single draft animal, moving between the rows to be cut, can be used for drawing the machine.

As the machine moves forward axle 1 is rotated by one of the wheels 3 and motion is thus transmitted from gear 47 to gear 18 and shaft 14: will therefore actuate the elevator 19. At the same time motion is transmitted through gears 46, 45, 12 and $1 to the vertical shaft 33 and the cutter bar 1s caused to reciprocate upon the finger bar.

The fingers 39 will guide the Kafir corn to the cutting blades and as the corn is cut, the material will fall onto the tables 40 and Copies of this patent may be obtained for be guided thereby onto the elevator 19 which, in turn, will convey the material to a point beyond one side of the machine. By rotating the shaft 25, the cross head 31 and the parts carried thereby can be raised or lowered so that the cutting mechanism may thus be quickly adjusted to the height of the material being cut.

What is claimed is 1. A header including upstanding guides, a cross head mounted to slide within the guides, a finger bar movable with the cross head, a series of forwardly and upwardly extending fingers upon each end portion of the bar, a cutter bar mounted to reciprocate upon the finger bar, a downwardly inclined table connected to the finger bar and back of each series of fingers, an adjustable elevator extending under and adapted to receive material from the tables, a shaft journaled within the cross head, a gear slidably engaged by the shaft, means for rotating the gear, and means connected to the cross head for raising and lowering the cross head, finger bar, shaft and parts connected thereto.

2. A header including a wheel supported structure adapted to travel between rows, upstanding guides upon said structure, a cross head mounted to slide within the guides, means for raising and lowering the cross head, a finger bar movable with the cross head and extending beyond the sides of the wheel supported structure to engage the tops of corn, a series of fingers upon each end portion of the finger bar and extending forwardly, downwardly and rearwardly inclined tables connected to the finger bar back of each series of fingers, an angularly adjustable elevator extending under the tables and laterally from the structure for receiving material from the tables, a cutter bar mounted to reciprocate upon the finger bar, a shaft movable with the cross head and extending downwardly therefrom, a disk upon the shaft, a pitman connection between the disk and the cutter bar, a gear slidably engaged by the shaft and journaled on said structure, and means for transmitting motion to said gear and to the elevator from one of the supporting wheels.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses,

HENRY M. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

U. H. MURPHY,

L. B. FLETCHER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

